NATICK – Police and firefighters have broken ground on a downtown Sept. 11 memorial that will feature a piece of steel from the World Trade Center.

The memorial, slated to be unveiled Sept. 11, will include a reflection garden, benches, landscaping, a sundial and a stone on which the steel will sit. A second piece of steel from the center, which was destroyed in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, sits outside Natick’s VFW post.

Organizers hope to create a memorial that is a "reflective area where people can come and pay their respects," said police Lt. Cara Rossi-Cafarelli, who has been working on the memorial.

Organizers are still trying to raise about $15,000, though they have made significant strides toward their $75,000 goal thanks to donations, selling bricks on which people can have messages or names engraved, a fundraising hockey game and a $20,000 Town Meeting appropriation.

"People want to see it get built," Rossi-Cafarelli said.

Rossi-Cafarelli and Danny Hartwell, president of the firefighters’ union, said volunteers will perform much of the work to keep costs down.

Hartwell said police officers, firefighters and DPW workers are among those lending a hand. Artist Jeff Buccacio is also helping with the effort.

Workers have dug for footings, outlined the layout of the memorial and started other tasks at the site, which is in front of the downtown police and fire station, organizers said.

The memorial will honor victims of the terrorist attacks, survivors and heroes who emerged in the attacks' aftermath

"It’s going to be a great tribute," Hartwell said. "All of us are taking part in (building the memorial). It puts a little personal meaning to it."

People can still buy a brick. Forms are available in the downtown fire station lobby or people can contact Rossi-Cafarelli at rossi-cafarelli@natickpolice.com.

Brian Benson can be reached at 508-626-3964 or bbenson@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @bbensonmwdn.